


Cover Me Up

by Cefhclwords



Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Eric has the flu, Fluff, M/M, Sick Fic, hurt comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 11:33:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19150183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cefhclwords/pseuds/Cefhclwords
Summary: "Dele was pretty sure Eric’s fever had broken, it was sometime around seven pm and he was sleeping fitfully on the large living room couch, blanket pooled around his hips, white t-shirt stuck to his chest in a wet patch of sweat.That assumption was according to Google anyway, and the information provided to him by a website that had both the words “medical” and “news” in the url, which seemed pretty reliable to him. The Article had been titled ‘The Signs a Fever Has Broken in Infants’ but Dele had assumed that it shouldn’t be too different right?"Based on the prompt: "Types of kisses: Tentative kisses in the dark"





	Cover Me Up

**Author's Note:**

> Read more and request at my tumblr by the same name: cefhclwords :) <3 hope you enjoy this! x 
> 
> The title is taken from this beautiful song which is very much worth a listen xx https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsfDpW7PYN8

Dele was pretty sure Eric’s fever had broken, it was sometime around seven pm and he was sleeping fitfully on the large living room couch, blanket pooled around his hips, white t-shirt stuck to his chest in a wet patch of sweat.

That assumption was according to Google anyway, and the information provided to him by a website that had both the words “medical” and “news” in the url, which seemed pretty reliable to him. The Article had been titled ‘The Signs a Fever Has Broken in Infants’ but Dele had assumed that it shouldn’t be too different right?

Besides, Eric often looked like a giant toddler when he was sick, wrapped up in his biggest of his oversized hoodies, the hood drawn up, paired with trackie pants and a blanket pulled over his shoulders.

The first instinct in Dele’s mind was to wake him up, bitting at the nail of his thumb, a little bit scared of the way Eric’s face was crumpled in pain, cheeks and chest painted in deep red flush, seak soaking his skin. 

If he woke Eric up, maybe Eric would know what to do and Dele wouldn’t need to feel so worried, so out of depth.

Eric was always so good at taking care of him, knew how to make this soup that his mother had made him when he was a kid, called it “the magic potion” that somehow miraculously managed to make any cold feel that bit better. Eric would make sure to give Dele painkillers on the dot every four hours as instructed, would offer him fresh juice and encourage him to have hot showers.

It seemed like he had endless tips and tricks, a cold compress, a warm blanket, massage balms, mixes of food and drink that helped the healing process.

Dele guessed to a certain extent it came naturally for Eric as both a big brother and someone with a caring nature.

Dele- Dele had little to no practice, Harry had always been so sure of everything it really felt like he had never been younger than him, and the Hickford’s had always taken good care of him, so Dele never really had practice in looking after others. 

Not to say that he didn’t want to, it just wasn’t a natural reflex where he knew just what to do, he was kind of flying blind here.

Eventually, Dele had decided not to wake him, going off the article Eric’s fever was breaking which meant it was reaching its peak before his body would level out his temperature again. Dele thought that probably was extremely uncomfortable, the side effects of ‘sweating, shaking, dizziness, confusion’ were enough for him to be thankful that Eric was sleeping through it.

He had felt useless just sitting around and had decided to change the sheets on their bed and feed the dogs, before throwing some laundry on, keeping an ear out for Eric just in case he woke up.

After Dele had his simple dinner of toast, not bothered or hungry enough to sort something properly, he heard a sound from the living room and was quick to walk out, eyes scanning the couch.

Eric hadn’t exploded into a million pieces or straight up disappeared, so Dele had counted that as a win. He was, however, blinking sleeping up at the ceiling, shivering slightly, and Dele was quick to walk over, fingers making contact over the blanket with Eric’s foot. He gave it a small squeeze, just needing to touch Eric to comfort both of them, drawing his fingers up his leg as he walked toward the head of the couch.

Dele squatted down and reached out to brush a hand over Eric’s sweaty forehead, where the skin had been searing hot to the touch a few hours ago, the skin was cooler now, more at a normal temperature. His skin was dotted in cool sweat but Dele didn’t care as he stroked a thumb across Eric’s brow.

“Hey baby” Dele whispered, hating the exhausted look in Eric’s eyes, feeling powerless that he couldn’t make it better.

“Cold now” Eric said, voice husky and thick, the words being followed by sharp coughs that he muffled into the pillow, head turned away from Dele, groaning at the effort it took.

“Yeah. I know, Think you finally broke that fever yeah? Means you should start feeling less awful soon hmm” Dele said with a soft voice, thinking he should probably get Eric to shower so that the cold sweat didn’t continue to make him cold.

It had taken slow and steady work but Dele had convinced Eric to have just a quick wash off, and then they could get into bed and stay warm, he’d even promised to scratch Eric’s head like he loved if he showered for him. 

Dele had been half terrified of Eric’ collapsing in the shower, leaving Dele to try and haul his giant self back onto his feet, so the bathroom door had stayed open after Dele had helped Eric strip off and get under the falling hot water.

For the most part, Dele had stayed in the bathroom too, only dipping out to pull back the bed covers and grab Eric a fresh pair of boxers and long sleeve shirt to sleep in, throwing a pair of trackies over his shoulder just in case Eric wanted them.

Eric shut off the shower with a yawn that turned into a few more hacking coughs, his strong shoulders trembling with it. If this nasty flu was a person Dele would strangle it, hating to see Eric holding himself so small, movements sleepy and slow.

Dele held out a towel with open arms, heart picking up a bit when he saw a tiny smile in the corner of Eric’s mouth. “Come here then” Dele instructed his boy, wrapping the towel around Eric when he pressed into his arms, rubbing in slow circular motions to dry him off.

Dele had watched Holly do this for Archie once when the young boy was sick, and Dele guessed part of him had internalised the caring gesture. That or he had just reverted to treating Eric like a big baby, hoping that worked. 

 

Regardless, Eric seemed to enjoy it, melting into Dele’s body in a way that made Dele sway a bit with the weight of him.

He was basically just giving Eric a massage now through the fabric of his towel, his skin already dry, he was working on a knot that had formed under the man’s right shoulder blade from the persistent coughing of the past three days.

Dele was hesitant to move at all, not with how settled Eric was now, breathing deeply and contently, finally not overheated or freezing, or coughing up a lung.

“Amor, come on, let’s go to bed hmm?” Dele swayed them gently side to side as he spoke. “Can have your cough syrup, Put fresh sheets on and have clean clothes for you” Dele whispered right into Eric’s ear.

The sick man let out a pitiful whimper, exhausted at the prospect of having to do anything more than be here with Dele.

With sweet words and patience, Dele got Eric dressed in his boxers and the shirt and into the bed, tucking him in with gentle hands. Dele walked away from the bed, heading back to the bathroom with Eric’s towel in hand, collecting up Eric’s sweat-soaked clothing and dumping it all into the hamper.

Just as Dele collected the bottle of cough syrup from the draw in the bathroom, he heard Eric call out from the bedroom, before stumbling into gasping coughs. Dele shut the door to the ensuite behind him as he walked into the bedroom. “Hang on amor” Dele said quickly, moving to Eric’s side, handing him a bottle of water from the bedside table, watching Eric take small sips carefully.

 

Thankfully the coughing subsided, Eric’s eyes watering from the effort, tongue darting out to wet his lips. “Fucking hate this” Eric gruffed out, jawline standing in a sharp line as he grit his teeth.

Dele sighed and cupped Eric’s cheek for a moment, wishing he could kiss it better, just press their lips together and comfort Eric the best way he knew how, with affection. But Eric insisted he wasn’t getting Dele sick, despite Dele explaining he wouldn’t because he had a good immune system. It was a bit of a lie, anyway, and Eric had seen right through it.

“I know, But don’t be angry, you’re already so worn out, It’s only going to make you feel worse” Dele said, throat thick with empathy.

“Last thing Amor, cough syrup ok? Just a bit, so you can sleep” Dele explained, feeling Eric let out a sad sigh, eyes blinking open sleepily as he sat up a bit further. Dele poured 20lm’s of the medicine into the small measuring cup that clicked onto the lid.

Eric took the petite plastic cup wordlessly, throwing back the liquid with a grimace, placing the cup on the bedside table. Eric gave Dele one last half, tired smile before lying down on the bed with another small cough.

Dele took that as a sign of Eric wanting some distance, probably needing a quiet and empty room to get some proper rest. Dele stood, tugging the covers off and switching off the lamp, the room going dark.

Dele got up and headed across the room, reached for the door, ready to distract himself with a video game till Eric falls asleep before he’d slide into bed quietly next to him later.

“Del, you getting in soon? I wanna sleep” Eric rasped out, shifting in the sheets.

Dele paused with a smile, hand pressing against his chest. “Yeah, yeah course just changing my shirt” Dele excused himself, heading to the dresser and stripping off his top, trading it for an older one of Eric’s that was soft enough to sleep in.

Dele slid into the bed quietly, eyes scanning over to Eric, laying on his back and staring at the ceiling, his eyes still a bit wet despite no recent coughs. Shit. Dele worried his teeth over the inside of his cheek, frozen still as he tried to scan his brain for what to do.

Absently, he wished for his phone, wondering if he could google “my boyfriend is sad and sick and I already showered him and tucked him into bed and it didn’t help”. Dele wants to laugh at the thought of that google search- what the hell might pop up.

Dele closed his eyes for a moment and decided, fuck it, this was Eric and Eric was sad and Dele knew how to fix that normally, so him being sick shouldn’t throw him off so much.

The room was pitch black around them, all windows and shutters closed and the rest of the lights in the home shut off. The only sound in the distance was the running of the dishwasher and Eric and Dele’s slow breathing.

Dele shifted, reaching out blindly for Eric, hands hitting somewhere by Eric’s waist. Once he found him, Dele’s palms flattened to Eric’s torso, fingers curling to hold onto him, pulling him into his body.

Eric moved easily into Dele’s space, head resting on his chest heavily as Dele wiggled closer to him, moving till Dele was on his back, Eric on his side and curled into him, His hand resting on Dele’s chest.

Dele didn’t speak but instead dipped his head down to press a kiss to the crown of Eric’s head, his fingers scratching gently over Eric’s head in curling circles, the feeling of his short hair was comforting under Dele’s fingertips. He knew how to do this.

Dele exhaled and used the hand not on Eric’s head, to tilt Eric’s face up, fingers cupping his chin. Dele began a tiny pattern of kisses, two beside Eric’s left brow, one under the freckle by Eric’s temple. Between each kiss, Dele’s lips hovered in slight nervousness, hesitant and waiting for a sign that he’d made the move despite being quietly confident that this would settle Eric.

The kisses were small, just a simple press of warm lips on soft skin, tentative and sweet. Dele pressed one to Eric’s nose before he pressed three kisses right above Eric’s top lip, just above the pink pigment of his lips.

Eric let out a small muffled noise in protest, Dele could practically hear Eric saying no, no you’ll get sick- but he didn’t pull away and Dele just pressed on, kissing his way around Eric’s mouth, lips scratching against his facial hair.

Dele pressed four kisses to Eric’s chin, one on the high point of his cheek, three to Eric’s hairline.

 

Dele felt Eric’s breaths slow, his grip loosening as he slumped into Dele’s frame, breaths evening out finally.

With a final kiss to Eric’s ear, Dele settled back, eyes closed as he finally let himself relax. Maybe his method wasn’t conventional, or an old family trick, but Dele think he’d done pretty well.


End file.
